Washington Township Council introduces ordinance to loosen parking restrictions on two streets

Washington Township officials are considering an ordinance that would loosen parking restrictions on Ridgewood Boulevard North and Ridgewood Road at the request of area residents.

The ordinance, which the township council voted 4-0 to introduce during its June 30 meeting, would reduce the area where no parking is allowed on Ridgewood Boulevard North from both sides between Glen Avenue and Manhattan Avenue to just the east side of the street between Glen Avenue and West Place. The area of Ridgewood Road where no parking is allowed, on both sides from Glen Avenue to a point 500 feet south, would be reduced to 250 feet from Glen Avenue.

The parking ban had been on the books for years but hadn't been enforced until 2012 when some residents complained about an "overwhelming" number of cars parked on the street that reduced visibility at the busy Glen Avenue intersection, according to Mayor Janet Sobkowicz.

After the "no parking" signs went up, other residents complained that their guests had to park blocks away. The township council passed an ordinance later that year which was supposed to cut the banned area on Ridgewood Road from 500 feet to 250 feet, but the law apparently never made it onto the books.

Further requests from residents this spring about a parking nuisance on West Place, which intersects Ridgewood Boulevard North, prompted the proposed additional change. The council is expected to consider the ordinance for final approval later this month.